Andra Day Almost Gave Up Acting After Billie Holiday Role

After an award-winning role, most actors are ready to ride that wave of success to a number of exciting film and TV offers. Andra Day, however, considered her retirement. On Variety's Awards Circuit podcast, the singer recently revealed that she almost gave up acting after playing the titular jazz legend in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a role which won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress last month.

"I laugh because it just seems so unreal. I feel like only God could have put something like this together. It reminds me of how much care and dedication people put into this story," said Day in the interview. "I thought I was gonna retire after this movie from acting because I thought, 'This shit is too deep.' I’ve always loved actors and always had respect for them, but now I have a whole new respect for them and how deep they have to go."

Prior to filming, Day prepared for the role by smoking, drinking, cursing, and losing 39 pounds. She said she wanted to give an authentic portrayal of Holiday. "If I had to do something like this again—not eating, not sleeping, just drinking and smoking—I don’t know if I could survive that shit."

Luckily, the actress ultimately found a greater purpose in continuing to pursue her movie career. The "Rise Up" singer explained, "It’s difficult to get these stories funded and to get off the ground. A lot of our narratives have been suppressed, so I want to tell stories in movies and music."

In the interview, Day also recalled hearing Holiday's song "Strange Fruit," which is based on a poem by Abel Meerapol about the lynching of Black Americans, when she was only 11 and finding it "kind of scary" and "filled with overwhelming sadness."

The film depicts Holiday's arrest and subsequent trial after her song's success. "She was essentially lynched for singing the song," said Day. "It's an ugly song, but it's true, which is what makes it beautiful."